Seattle
Welcome to Seattle, Washington, USA, the Emerald City. What may you first think of by hearing this name? 'When to go, what to do' 'Festivals & Special Events' SPRING Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 'www.tulipfestival.org '''Opening Day of Boating Season 'www.seattleyachtclub.org 'U District Street-Fair '''www.udistrictstreetfair.org '''Seattle International Children’s Festival '''www.seattleinternational.org '''Seattle International Film Festival 'www.seattlefilm.com 'Northwest Folklife Festival '''www.nwfolklife.org 'Historical Outline ' 1792' British explorer George Vancouver arrives and names the Puget Sound 1851 '''The Denny party makes land at Alki Point (now West Seattle) and endures a harsh first winter with the help of native tribes. '''1852 Denny and gang move their town to the more temperate east side of the Puget Sound; “Doc” Maynard names the town after Chief Sealth (aka Chief Seattle) of the local Duwamish tribe. 1853 The Washington Territory is officially created; it includes what is now Idaho and part of Montana. Henry Yesler opens the first of many sawmills to be built in the Puget Sound area (Skid Row). 1855 The U.S. government signs treaties with several Native American tribes in the Washington Territory, giving much of their land to the federal government. 1861 The University of Washington (then called Territorial University) opens its doors. 1863 Idaho Territory is separated from the Washington Territory. 1863 The Gazette, ''later to become the ''Seattle Post-Intelligencer, publishes its first edition. 1864 Cross-country Western Union telegraph line reaches Seattle. 1869 The City of Seattle incorporates. 1871 '''The Indian Appropriations Act says Native Americans are no longer sovereign but federal “wards.” '''1878 '''Seattle gets its first telephones. '''1885 Chinese immigrants are forced out of Seattle. 1889 '''Twenty-five blocks of Seattle burn to the ground in the Great Fire, prompting a frenzy of building—several feet above where the original shops had been. '''1889 Washington becomes the nation’s 42nd state. 1893 Transcontinental Great Northern Railway reaches Seattle. 1896 'Col. Alden Blethen buys the ''Seattle Daily Times. ''(The Blethen family still owns the ''Seattle Times.) '''1897–99 Seattle booms as a stoppingoff point for Klondike gold-seekers. 1901 John Nordstrom opens his first shoe store. 1907 '''Pike Place Market brings farmers and customers directly together. '''1910 Seattle women win their onagain- off-again right to vote once and for all. 1914 '''Smith Tower is completed in Seattle, becoming the tallest building west of Ohio. '''1915 William Boeing goes for his first flight. 1916 '''Along, violent longshoremen’s strike takes place. '''1917 '''Construction is complete on the Lake Washington Ship Canal. '''1917 Boeing Airplane Co. is launched. 1919 The nation’s first general strike causes mayhem in Seattle. First international airmail delivery by Boeing and Hubbard. Eddie Bauer’s first store opens. 1921 '''The Alien Land Law is passed in Washington, restricting Asian immigrants’ rights to own or lease property. '''1924 Native Americans are made U.S. citizens. 1926 Seattle elects the first woman mayor of any major U.S. city. 1940 '''Lake Washington Floating Bridge becomes the first of its kind in the world. Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson wins election to Congress, and later to the U.S. Senate. '''1942 FDR signs order sending Japanese Americans from the West Coast to internment camps; thousands in the Seattle area are forced to abandon their homes and businesses. 1942 Seattle native Jimi Hendrix is born. 1949 Sea-Tac International Airport opens. 1951 '''Washington State Ferries begin service on the Puget Sound. '''1954 '''First successful passenger jet, the Boeing 707, takes off. '''1962 '''Seattle builds Space Needle and monorail for the World’s Fair. '''1966 Boeing builds the first 747 assembly plant. 1970S '''Boeing layoffs devastate the local economy. '''1971 Starbucks opens its first shop, and the rest is history. 1975 '''Microsoft is founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in Albuquerque, NM; 3 years later it moves to the Seattle area. '''1976 The first woman governor of Washington, Dixy Lee Ray, is elected. 1976 The new Seahawks football team plays its first game. 1977 The new Mariners baseball team throws its first pitch. 1979 '''The Seattle SuperSonics win the NBA Championship. '''1999 '''AWorld Trade Organization conference in downtown Seattle prompts riots, property damage, and accusations of police misconduct. '''2001 '''The Nisqually Earthquake causes extensive damage to many older Seattle buildings. '''2004 Washington elects Christine Gregoire in tightest governor’s race in U.S. history, giving the state three women in its top political positions—two U.S. senators and the governor. 2005 '''Smoking is banned in all public places in Washington. '''2006 Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sells the Seattle SuperSonics team to an Oklahoma group after the city refuses to expand the basketball arena or build a new one. This leaves the Sonics’ future in Seattle in doubt. 2007 'The Washington state Legislature legalizes same-sex unions. 'Demographic Statistics 'Age' Age 0-4 = 26,215 Age 5-9 =24,459 Age 10-14 = ''' 23,425 Age 15-19 = ' 29,648 Age 20-24 = 51,014 Age 25-34 = 122,282 Age 35-44 = 95,077 Age 45-54 = 81,453 Age 55-59 = 24,830 Age 60-64 = 17,164 Age 65-74' = ' 29,463 Age 75-84 = 27,273 Age 85+' = ' 11,071 Source: http://profiles.nationalrelocation.com/Washington/Seattle/ 'Ethnicity' White: 413,396 African American: 55,611 Hispanic or Latino: 29,719 Asian: 84,649 American Indian or Alaska Native: 11,869 Hawaiian / Pacific Islander: 4,977 Other: 20,758 Source: http://profiles.nationalrelocation.com/Washington/Seattle/ 'Wealth/Income $0-10,000 = 1,210 $10,000 - $14,999 = 14,422 $15,000 - $24,999 = 29,028 $25,000 - $34,999 = 31,698 $35,000 - $49,999 = 41,045 $50,000 - $74,999 = 48,882 $75,000 - $99,999 = 29,387 $100,000 - $149,999 = 24,413 $150,000 - $199,999 = 7,618 Over $200,000 = 9,012 Source: http://profiles.nationalrelocation.com/Washington/Seattle/ '''Employers in the Area Employers with over 10.000 employees Boeing Aircraft manufacturer. Location: Everett Aerospace & Defense Boeing Aircraft manufacturer. Location: Auburn Aerospace & Defense Boeing Aerospace company. Location: Seattle Aerospace & Defense Costco HQ for chain of membership warehouse stores. Click on Customer Service, then Employment. Location: Issaquah Retail Cray Manufacturer of high-performance supercomputers, (formerly Tera Computer) Location: Seattle Computer Hardware Microsoft OS and software developer. Location: Redmond Computer Software & Services Quest Provider of integrated telecommunications and high speed data networking services. Location: Seattle Telecommunications Seattle-Tacoma International Airport International airport. Location: Seattle Transportation Employers with 5,000-9,999 employees' Bank of America Nationwide financial institution. Location: Seattle Financial Services & Banking Group Health Cooperative Health care provider. Location: Tukwila Health, Biotech & Pharmaceutical Northwest Hospitality Network Network of 10 restaurant/hospitality companies. Location: Bainbridge Island Food, Hospitality & Travel South Seattle Community College Staff and teaching positions. Location: Seattle Education & Library Services Starbucks Provider of specialty coffee and chain of retail stores. Location: Seattle Food, Hospitality & Travel Washington Mutual Headquarters of nation's largest consumer bank. Location: Seattle Financial Services & Banking Source: www.seattlecareers.com 'Sightseeing' 1) Chinatown Chinese immigrants were the first Asians to settle permanently in Seattle. It was in the 1860’s when there was a great need for laborers for the fishing industry, saw mills, and railroad construction. Chinatown steadily increased due to the many immigrants to the city, and today it is still largely influenced by Chinese traditions and culture. The district houses Chinese shops, market, restaurants, and even a museum for the history of the neighborhood and its inhabitants. 2) Pioneer Square Pioneer Square is in the middle of the historical center of Seattle, which was largely destroyed in the great fire of 1889. Since then the neighborhood has been rebuilt in much the same style as before the fire. In the middle of Pioneer Square you find a totem pole form the Tlingit tribe. 3) The Underground Tour Seattle’s history from before the 1889 fire is below street-level, and you can visit the eerie-looking ruins on a tour that starts at Doc Maynard’s Saloon from the 1890’s. After an introduction, the tour takes you down to the old streets, sewer systems, and of course the ruined buildings that have been untouched since 1907. http://www.undergroundtour.com/index.html 4) Smith Tower Observation Deck Smith Tower is a conveniently located building with an observation deck on the 35th floor. From the deck there is a view of both the historical city center and the water nearby as well as of the mountains on the horizon. The building’s 42 floors were completed in 1914 as one of the first skyscrapers in the world, built on the initiative of Lyman Cornelius Smith. The building itself is an experience and the lifts to the observation deck are the original lifts from 1914. 5) Waterfall Gardens Waterfall Gardens is an oasis in the middle of the city. The beautiful gardens offer among other things a 7-meter waterfall, and it allows you to feel completely secluded from the city and the traffic passing by only a few meters away. 6) Seattle Police Museum The Police Museum tells the story of law and order in Seattle and the North-western USA, from the somewhat anarchistic times of the colonization of the North-American continent up to today. There are both historical testimonies and educational interactive displays, and objects such as uniforms, weapons and a prison cell are part of the experience. 7) Klondike Goldrush National Park In 1897, rumors of gold in Yukon, Canada, reached Seattle, and in 1897-98 tens of thousands of gold-struck people travelled through Seattle on their way to the North. In Seattle, they bought food, clothes, supplies and other necessities for gold digging, and that brought immense revenue to the city and contributed to launching the further development of the city. In the National Park you can gain an insight into gold rush towards Klondike, and the effect it had on Seattle. 8) Columbia Center At 295 meters, Columbia Center –previously Bank of America Tower – is the highest building in Seattle. It boasts 76 floors above ground and 7 below and was constructed 1982-85. The observation deck on the 73rd floor is the highest publicly accessible vantage point in Seattle. 9) Seattle Public Library ''' The Seattle Public Library is one of the great architectural experiences of the city. The 56 meters tall exterior of the building is a mix of glass and steel, joined in an extraordinary combination of broken surfaces that stands out from the far more traditional design of the surrounding contemporary buildings. The library opened in 2004 and is very popular among the Seattle inhabitants. It is easy to understand why, if you step inside the building and visit the elegant and airy rooms. 10) '''Town Hall Seattle The name of Town Hall Seattle is not to be taken literally. It was originally built as the Fourth Church of Christ Scientist in the years 1916-22 with inspiration from ancient Rome. Today the lovely building houses a cultural center with changing exhibitions, concerts and performances. 11) The 5th Avenue Theatre The 5th Avenue Theatre was inaugurated in 1926 and has since then hosted innumerable theatre and movie shows. The beautifully decorated theatre seats more than 2,000 spectators and was decorated by the Norwegian Gustav Liljestrom. His inspiration came from travels to China, and visiting the 5th Avenue Theatre is almost like stepping into Imperial China. The theatre is part of the Skinner Building office complex, which is built in a neo-renaissance style that forms a vivid contrast to the Chinese interior. 12) Fairmont Olympic Hotel The grand Fairmont Olympic Hotel is the classic old hotel of Seattle and has offered a constant supply of luxury and delicacies to its many guests since its opening 1924. If you are looking for a contemporary hotel experience with elements of the days of yore, this is the place to go. 13) Benaroya Hall Benaroya Hall is the home of Seattle’s famous symphonic orchestra. The concert hall opened in 1998 and is named after the philanthropist Jack Benaroya, whose donation greatly contributed to the financing of the building project. Benaroya Hall is very elegant, and the great concert hall offers both an acoustic and aesthetical experience. 14) Seattle Art Museum The Seattle Art Museum opened in 1931 in the elegant Art Deco building that now hoses the Seattle Asian Art Museum. It moved to its present location in 1991, and the statue of the Hammering Man was erected in front of it in 1994. The museum has a fine collection and arranges temporary exhibitions besides the permanent exhibition. 15) Pike Place Market ''' The popular Pike Place Market first opened in 1907. It is located close to Elliott Bay and sells freshly caught fist and farm produces. The amounts and sizes of the produce are impressive, especially the seafood. The market is also an entertaining place with a lively trade and a bit of chit-chat with the customers. The market also contains some restaurants and small shops with souvenirs and various crafts products. It is worth mentioning that the world’s first Starbucks Coffee opened in Pike Place Market in 1971. There is still a Starbucks in the market, although it has now moved to a new location. 16) '''Seattle Monorail One of the curious sights of Seattle is the Monorail, which was built for the World Fair in 1962. It runs from Westlake Center Mall in downtown Seattle to Seattle Center, and the ride is approximately 1.9 kilometers long. 17) Seattle Center Seattle Center is a large recreational are on the former site of the 1962 World Fair, Century 21 Exposition. The most striking construction in the area is the Space Needle observation tower, and beneath it is located a range of activity options. The Seattle Center offers various rides and amusements as well as the interesting Pacific Science Center with an IMAX theatre. The complex also houses the MacCaw Hall, which is the home of the Seattle Opera, and which also lends its stage to various other stage productions. 17a) Space Needle The Seattle observation tower, Space Needle, was built for the World Fair in 1962 and is the landmark of the city. The tower soars to 184 meters, and at 159 meters there is both an observation deck and a rotating restaurant. Both places offer a great view of Seattle and the surrounding scenery, and especially the 4,392 meters high Mount Rainier looks impressive from there. The lift takes 41 seconds and runs on the outside of the tower, making the ride an experience in itself. 18) Experience Music Project The Experience Music Project is an impressive museum of music that will take you on a veritable musical journey, whether you are into blues, jazz, hip-hop, funky, pop, country or rock’n’roll. There are detailed descriptions of great music stars as well as the Seattle music scene. The Experience Music Project is located in a striking building where bright colors and an undulating metal roof set the mood even before you enter the building. Inside the building, you find among other things a 10 meter sculpture made of 600 guitars. 19) Olympic Sculpture Park This sculpture park opened in 2007 in a former industrial estate that hosed the Unocal Company until the 1970’s. The organization behind the city’s art museum took initiative to transform the area into a recreational area close to downtown Seattle, and the project has created beautifully creative spaces to showcase the various sculptures of the park. 20) Seattle Asian Art Museum As the name indicates, the Seattle Asian Art Museum is the Asian department of the city’s art museum. The exhibition displays a range of interesting objects, while the building itself is worth a second look, since it is the original building of the Seattle Art Museum from 1931 and a beautiful example of the Art Deco style of the time. 21) Washington State History Museum In the historical museum of Washington State you can revisit historical people and events that have shaped the state as well as the world history. The exhibition is exciting with interactive displays and narrative sequences. 22) Henry Art Gallery The Henry Art Gallery is adjacent to the campus of the University of Washington. The gallery opened as the first public art museum in Seattle in 1927 and was named after Horace C. Henry, who donated the funds for the opening of the gallery as well as a collection of paintings. The gallery is most renowned for its displays of modern art and the exhibition on the development of photography. 23) Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture The Burke Museum is the National History and Culture Museum of The University of Washington, and it displays a large collection of archaeological and ethnographical objects, where especially the collection from the North-west Pacific area stands out. 24) Heritage Nordic Museum This is the only museum in the USA to especially depict the life, culture and contribution to American society of the Danish, Norwegian, Finnish and Icelandic immigrants. They mainly arrived to North American in the latter half of the 19th century for financial reasons or in the pursuit of happiness in a new country. The permanent exhibition, The Dream of America, depicts the transatlantic voyage to the settlements as well as the way of life and culture of the many Nordic people, including a range of historical artifacts. Source: Albeck, Stig. Seattle. Stig Albeck & Ventus Publishing ApS (ISBN 978-87-7061-276-0). 2008. Frommer's Seattle. 2009. Lonely Planet. Seattle. 2009. 'Outdoor Activities' Seattle Harbor Cruise Since 1949, harbor cruises have departed from the Seattle harbor front to the harbor and Elliott Bay outside the city. During the cruise, there is information about the history of the city, and the trip provides a wonderful view of the modern skyline of Seattle as well as of the great mountains in the distance. You can also take an evening cruise with included dinner and the benefit of seeing the buildings beautifully lit up. Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier is the highest peak in the Cascade Mountains East of Seattle. A national park has been established in the area around the 4,392 meters tall mountain and offers a wide array of nature. The national park contains a total of 26 glaciers, which each year gain from the massive snow of the winters. Alpine flowers can be found in the area just beneath the permanent snow, and in winter there is skiing on Crystal Mountain and around White Pass Village. The forest areas present many beautiful hiking trails, lakes and scenic views as well as a broad range of the local fauna, including bears, elks and mountain goats. At the foot of Mount Rainier, you can take the old steam engine on the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad. A trip from Elbe to Mineral Lake last 1.5 hours and is approximately 20 kilometers long, and you can either return by the same train or stay in the beautiful area and take a later departure. Mount St. Helens On May 18th 1980, Mount St. Helens in the Cascade Mountains practically exploded in a huge eruption. Rivers of mud flooded more than 300 square kilometers of forest, clouds of ashes reached a height of more than 20 kilometers, and the wind carried it several kilometers to the East. The violent eruption blasted a full 400 meters off the summit of the volcano, so the height is now 2,550 meters against previously 2,950 meters. Today the volcano is beginning to accumulate lava tension again, so several trails nearby have been closed off for visitors. From the visitor center at Silver Lake at 154 meters altitude, you can study the history of the volcano and the dramatic events of 1980 in particular. From the Johnston Ridge Observatory (Spirit Lake Memorial Highway) at 1,300 meters altitude, you are just 8 kilometers from Mount St. Helens and right at the center of the disaster area from 1980. Here you can look across a barren volcanic landscape, straight at the partly blasted wall of the volcanic crater. Johnston Ridge Observatory is only open during the summer months. The mountain is named after Lord St. Helens, who was a close friend of George Vancouver, who explored the area in the 18th century. Olympic National Park The Olympic Peninsula, with the Olympic National park at its center, is a piece of beautiful and varied nature. The area is dominated by temperate rainforest with a large variety of plants and wildlife. The innumerable hiking trails offer beautiful views as well as an opportunity for berry-picking. There are also mountains with glaciers. You can start your trip to the national park by taking a boat-trip from Seattle’s harbor to Bainbridge Island on the opposite side of the Puget Sound. The boat trip takes 35 minutes and is an experience in its own right. Alternatively you can drive South of the sound, though Olympia, the State Capital of Washington. This route offers the chance to admire the beautiful location of the city as well as the Capitol building. Everett Tour Center Seattle is the home of Boeing who, along with European Airbus, is the world’s largest aerospace manufacturer. A trip here is impressive partly due to the enormous assembly hangars, where you will have the chance to see aeroplanes such as the 747 and the 777. The tour provides information of Boeing’s history as well as a first-hand view of the exciting process of aeroplane production. Vancouver The Canadian city of Vancouver is, like the twin city Seattle, extremely beautifully situated amidst beautiful nature. Vancouver’s recent history dates back to the Spanish settlers in the 16th-18th centuries, but it wasn’t until Hudson’s Bay Company started their trading post here in 1827 that the city began developing. This continued when the Trans-Canadian Railroad arrived there in the latter half of the 19th century. The city has a broad range of sights. It is a good idea to start in the Gastown district, which is the oldest part of Vancouver. In 1867, there was only one sawmill here, but since “Gassy Jack” Deighton’s arrival, a saloon was built and soon came more buildings that eventually turned into the town of Granville, which was later renamed Vancouver. Vancouver Museum (1100 Chestnut Street) depicts the city’s history from the Native Canadians to the present-day city through exciting displays with many original artifacts. If you want to see more of the native culture, it is highly recommended to visit the Museum of Anthropology (6393 Marine Drive). The nature comes very close to the city center in Vancouver, which can be seen from the top of the Harbour Center Tower (555 Hastings Street West). The Capilano Suspension Bridge (3725 Capilano Road) and the mountains around Grouse Mountain (6400 Nancy Green Way) are both a short drive from the city center, and at Grouse Mountain there is a skylift that will take you up to an altitude of 1,100 meters. With children in Seattle: Seattle Aquarium (1483 Alaskan Way) www.seattleaquarium.org Wild Waves & Enchanted Village (South Enchanted Parkway 36201) www.sixflags.com/parks/enchantedvillage Woodland Park Zoo (Woodland Park) www.zoo.org More outdoor attractions: http://www.seattleattractions.com/outdoor_activities.html 'Getting Around' Public transportation in Seattle Seattle municipal transport: http://transit.metrokc.gov/ Seattle Monorail: www.seattlemonorail.com Seattle Airport: www.seatac.org Washington State Ferries: www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries USA’s Railroads: www.amtrak.com Car Rentals • Advantage 'www.arac.com • '''Alamo '''www.goalamo.com • '''Avis '''www.avis.com • '''Budget '''www.budget.com • '''Dollar '''www.dollar.com • '''Enterprise'www.enterprise.com • 'Hertz '''www.hertz.com • '''National '''www.nationalcar.com • '''Thrifty '''www.thrifty.com 'Education Top 10 Education Level Education Attainment was indexed with three variables: #Percentage of the adult population with an educational level of 8th grade or less #Percentage of the adult population with a high school diploma or higher #Percentage of the adult population with a bachelor's degree or higher Source: http://web.ccsu.edu With almost half its population 25 years or older having at least a bachelor’s degree, Seattle has one of the highest rates of college education among large U.S. cities, according to a ranking of American Community Survey (ACS) data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.(Source: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/001802.html ) Seattle is giving home to one of the nation's most respected public universities, the University of Washington ( http://www.washington.edu/ ). With over 40,000 under-graduates and post-graduates, UW is the largest school in the Pacific Northwest and many of its departments are ranked in the top 10 for research universities in the United States according to the Chronicle of Higher Learning. A study by Newsweek International in 2006 cited UW as the twenty-second best university in the world. Additionally, the University of Washington was ranked 16th internationally by the Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2008. The city's other prominent universities are Seattle University (http://www.seattleu.edu/), a Jesuit university, and Seattle Pacific University (http://www.spu.edu/), founded by the Free Methodists. There are a few other, smaller schools, such as City University of Seattle ( http://www.cityu.edu/ ), a private university; Antioch University Seattle (http://www.antiochsea.edu/) and Argosy University/Seattle (http://www.argosy.edu/locations/seattle/Default.aspx ) provide graduate and undergraduate degrees for working adults; and others mainly for fine arts, business and psychology. Cornish College of the Arts (http://www.cornish.edu/), The Art Institute of Seattle (http://www.artinstituteseattle.com/), Gage Academy of Art (http://www.gageacademy.org/) and the School of Visual Concepts (http://www.svcseattle.com/) offer bachelors degrees in such disciplines as dance, music, and theatre. Seattle is also served by North Seattle, Seattle Central, and South Seattle Community Colleges (http://www.seattlecolleges.com/). Time magazine chose Seattle Central Community College for best college of the year in 2001, stating the school "pushes diverse students to work together in small teams". Source: Oxford Encyclopedia of British and American Culture cd-rom 'Music' http://www.seattlesounds.com/ http://www.empsfm.org/ http://www.seattleundergroundmusic.com/ 'Shopping' Shopping in Seattle: Pine Street, Pike Place, Pioneer Square, Stewart Street, University Street, Forth Avenue and Seventh Avenue. Macy’s (1601 Third Avenue): www.macys.com Nordstrom (500 Pine Street) www.nordstrom.com Pacific Place (Sixth Avenue / Pine Street) www.pacificplaceseattle.org Pike Place Market (Pike Place) www.pikeplacemarket.org University Village (4500 25 Avenue NE) www.uvillage.com Westfield Southcenter (633 Southcenter Mall) www.westfield.com/southcenter Westlake Center (400 Pine Street) www.westlakecenter.com 'Entertainment' http://www.comedyunderground.com/ 'Climate' Source: www.weather.com, www.worldclimate.com